There isn't a single right way that suits everyone to tell a romantic partner about diabetes. However, it helps if you have had time to calmly process your feelings related to your diagnosis and diabetes. When your own relationship with diabetes is clear, it becomes easier to talk about it with new people and answer any questions that may arise. By the time dating turns into a new romantic relationship, it's important to also talk about what you expect from a future partner in terms of diabetes. Do you want your partner to be involved in your care in some way, or is it enough that they are aware of it and can take your diabetes into account?
A new partner of someone with diabetes should understand the individuality of diabetes and respect how and when the person with diabetes wants to talk about it. When starting a new romantic relationship and during dating, it's important that the partner is open, listens to the person with diabetes and their wishes, and also actively seeks information from reliable sources to avoid misunderstandings.
Prepare carefully for dates
The more prepared you are for the activities of the date, the more you can enjoy dating someone. Careful preparation calms the mind, especially when you manage your diabetes with insulin, either through multiple daily injections or an insulin pump. You can check restaurant menus in advance or adjust insulin doses beforehand, for example, for physical activities. Especially if a more active meeting is planned, make sure you have enough snacks with you. Also, always ensure that you have all the necessary equipment and sufficient insulin with you so that you don’t have to worry during the date.
By preparing in advance, you give yourself peace of mind and reduce the likelihood of issues such as low blood sugars or the risk of running out of insulin. This way, you can better focus on getting to know someone new without having to worry too much about diabetes. If contraception becomes relevant with dating, it's also a good idea to sort that out well in advance.